Another experiment was made out of doors, on which occasion,
small though the engine was, it fairly outran the speed of its
inventor. One night, after returning from his duties at the mine
at Redruth, Murdock went with his model locomotive to the avenue
leading to the church, about a mile from the town. The walk was
narrow, straight, and level. Having lit the lamp, the water soon
boiled, and off started the engine with the inventor after it.
Shortly after he heard distant shouts of terror. It was too dark
to perceive objects, but he found, on following up the machine,
that the cries had proceeded from the worthy vicar, who, while
going along the walk, had met the hissing and fiery little
monster, which he declared he took to be the Evil One in propria
persona!
When Watt was informed of Murdock's experiments, he feared that
they might interfere with his regular duties, and advised their
discontinuance. Should Murdock still resolve to continue them,
Watt urged his partner Boulton, then in Cornwall, that, rather
than lose Murdock's services, they should advance him 100L.; and,
if he succeeded within a year in making an engine capable of
drawing a post-chaise carrying two passengers and the driver, at
the rate of four miles an hour, that a locomotive engine business
should be established, with Murdock as a partner. The
arrangement, however, never proceeded any further.
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